The present invention relates generally to multi-player video games, and more particularly to out-of-game play presentations supporting equipping of video game characters.
Video games are enjoyed by many, often allowing video game players to virtually participate in otherwise unavailable activities, whether due to requirements of skill, experience, or equipment availability, or simply due to inherent dangers of the activities.
In many games a video game player may control a video game character, who may have various skills and powers, and who may be equipped with various items, whether for use in the video game or merely for purposes of visual appearance in a virtual world of the game. Some games may allow for personalization of equipping of video game characters. The personalization, which may be termed equipping, may relate to clothing worn by a video game character, whether for function or fashion, and what may be broadly termed accessories. The accessories may be tools or other useable equipment carried by the video game character for the video game character's use. The personalization may also, in some embodiments, relate to the video game character's skills or capabilities, capabilities which include an ability to call upon assistance provided by capabilities of others.
In some video games some personalizations may be more desirable than others. For example, some personalizations may be appropriate for some virtual worlds, but not others. Similarly, in the context of multi-player games, some personalizations may be more desirable over others depending on the personalizations of opponents or teammates.
Unfortunately, a desired personalization of a video game character may not be known until game play commences, and depending on the nature of game play, changes in personalization during game play may not be possible, or if possible not prudent if success during game play is desired.
Traditionally, video games were generally monetized through sales of the games themselves, either as a packaged item or through an online download. These transactions were typically one-time transactions between a buyer and a seller (e.g., retailer, video game publisher, or video game developer). More recently, new monetization models have developed. For example, instead of, or in addition to, the traditional sale of the video game itself, some sellers are now monetizing video games through multiple, small, in-game transactions called microtransactions or micropayments. In some cases, users of video games may obtain the personalizations described above through such microtransactions, for free, or through some combination of microtransactions and free transactions. One challenge facing video game sellers who use microtransactions is to find effective and non-intrusive ways to further incentivize users to purchase microtransactions.